Akhilesh Yadav Mourns Stepbrother Prateek Yadav's Sudden Death in Lucknow

Speaking with reporters outside Lucknow Civil Hospital, where the mortal remains of his Prateek Yadav are kept in the mortuary, Akhilesh Yadav said, "I have known him since childhood. He is no longer amongst us; it is a matter of great sorrow. Right from his childhood, he was very conscious of his health, his physical well-being, and he aspired to move forward in life and make a meaningful contribution."

Akhilesh Yadav said that he had met his stepbrother two months ago and advised him to take care of his health and to focus on expanding his business.

"We will proceed in accordance with the law, whatever legal provisions dictate, and whatever the family members request, we will abide by that. I met him approximately two months ago. Even at that time, I had advised him to take care of his health and to focus on expanding his business. Sometimes losses incurred in business can cause people to become deeply distressed. He is no longer with us; we will pursue whatever legal avenues are available to us," he said.

Prateek Yadav was the son of Sadhna Gupta, the second wife of Samajwadi Party founder Mulayam Singh Yadav. Despite being from Uttar Pradesh's most prominent political family, he largely stayed away from politics and focused on business and fitness ventures in Lucknow.

He was brought to the hospital by his family members on Wednesday morning, where he was declared dead. The exact cause of his death is not known yet. Further details are expected to be revealed after the post-mortem examination.

On Prateek Yadav's death, Chief Medical Superintendent, Civil Hospital, Dr Devesh Chandra Pandey said, "He was brought dead at 5.55 am. The police were informed, after which the body was sent for postmortem procedure."

Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh State Women's Commission Chairperson Babita Singh Chauhan reached the residence of BJP leader Aparna Yadav, the wife of Prateek Yadav.

"It is a very unfortunate incident... May his soul rest in peace. May God give the family the strength to bear this sorrow," Babita Singh Chauhan said.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath also expressed grief over the untimely demise of Prateek Yadav

"The sudden demise of Shri Prateek Yadav Ji, son of former Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, 'Padma Vibhushan', the late Mulayam Singh Yadav Ji, and husband of Smt. Aparna Yadav Ji, Vice-Chairperson of the Uttar Pradesh State Women's Commission, is extremely heartbreaking. Humble tribute. My condolences are with the bereaved family," Yogi Adityanath said in a post on X.

Prateek Yadav married Aparna Yadav in 2011. She has remained politically active over the years. She contested the 2017 Uttar Pradesh assembly elections from Lucknow Cantt on a Samajwadi Party ticket but lost to Rita Bahuguna Joshi.

She later joined the BJP in 2022 and was appointed vice-chairperson of the Uttar Pradesh State Women's Commission in 2024.

- ANI